


Satisfaction And Silver Contrails

by bluemisfortune



Series: Neon Lights [8]
Category: Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D's, Yu-Gi-Oh! Zexal
Genre: Aged-Up Character(s), Alternate Universe, Drinking, Murder, Organized Crime, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Swearing
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-08-15
Updated: 2017-10-02
Packaged: 2018-12-15 12:59:33
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 17,850
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11806488
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bluemisfortune/pseuds/bluemisfortune
Summary: Here they are, one month after leaving Neo Domino, and what do they have to show for it? The worst hangover ever, an apartment that isn’t theirs, two cats, a dog, a bird and a mysterious briefcase.Oh, and a dead body. Kiryuu insists this one isn’t his fault.





	1. Going Straight

**Author's Note:**

> It's really hard to theme name these things when I don't have a proper theme. It just sounds like it fits. So another of the technically part of the Neon Lights verse but not actually really enough to do with it that you have to read the other fics to get it. It's the setting and it's nice extra knowledge but anything you need to know is explained and it has nothing to do with the plot.

 Martha hadn’t been impressed when they told her they were leaving town. _Yuusei_ had told her they were leaving town. The other three weren’t that stupid. Yuusei was the only one who’d ever get away with that without having his ear pulled and a lecture on responsibility. They still got a lecture. The four of them sat around without the kids as Martha told them all how leaving was a big step, they had no plan and this wasn’t like living on their own in the Satellite. They didn’t know how to live on their own in normal society. Which was a little insulting but Martha only meant well, they know. It was a warning.

 But that was why they were leaving though. It’s kinda hard to live in a _‘normal society’_ when that normal society looks at three of them and just sees criminals. Neo Domino is still deeply scarred and divided, no matter what the placating press said to the contrary.

 Crow said he met a guy in jail who knew a guy from Heartland City who knew a guy in the Arclight Organisation. They all knew the name. The Arclight Organisation even had a presence in Neo Domino. Jack remembered seeing representatives around when he was pretending to be the Director’s son. Kiryuu said they used to traffic people out the Satellite. Crow said the guy was a drug dealer. None of this reassured Yuusei and none of this was ever mentioned to Martha.

 What they do know, and tell Martha, is that Heartland City is a booming city, mostly run by two huge - if slightly shady - technology companies. It was known for being one of the best places for criminal rehabilitation and had an incredibly low level of repeat offenders. It was a good place for them to get their acts together. To go straight. No more crime, no more gangs, no more anything remotely illegal. And so, eventually, Martha relented.

 They liked to say they’d go whether Martha gave them permission or not, but they all know that was the biggest lie they’ve ever told.

 

 And so there they are in Heartland City a month later, sitting in a booth in a shady bad guy bar right out of the movies - or Neo Domino - called Tron with neon cocktails. And Yuuei’s glass of milk.

 “Someone has to be sober enough to corral us home,” Kiryuu had laughed, and of course Yuusei ends up designated drunk herder.

 Apparently it’s the home base of operations for the Arclight Organisation. One of the only parts of their business - now run by the deceased patriarch’s three sons, and the rumours on how he died can keep Kiryuu and Crow gossiping for hours - to be run legitimately.  They only come here because they have a discount here. They all work in various, generally legal, branches of their organisation, so they get an employee discount at Tron.

 

 “Oi, are you planning on drinking that anytime soon?” Kiryuu says, reaching for Jack’s drinks.

 Jack smacks his hand away. He’s probably not - something that colour cannot be good for you - but that doesn’t mean Kiryuu gets it. Sharing with Kiryuu is something Jack refuses to do. _Again_. It never ended well. He’s learnt that lesson that hard way. So no, Kiryuu gets nothing of his anymore.

 “You’re so selfish, Jack,” Kiryuu sighs.

 “Just buy your own,” Jack replies.

 Kiryuu sighs and waves over to the bar. “Fine. Comes out the team pot anyway.”

 “Stop calling us a team- wait, since when?”

 “Since your damn expensive tea does too,” Crow laughs.

 Jack narrows his eyes. His expensive tea is nothing like Kiryuu’s hideously colourful drinks. His tea is a necessity. An essential to their lives and wellbeing. They can have some if they want some. It’s not his fault they can’t appreciate his tastes.

 “Can I help you?” stammers the maid girl.

 She’s here during the day, with clips on her wrist bands. No doubt she’ll be clocking off soon. They never make her work nights, and Jack can see why given their client base. She's loud and clumsy and constantly pestered by one particular client - apparently her boyfriend - but when she saw Jack she gushed and bought his drinks, so Jack supposes this crappy city isn't as terrible and backwards as he first imagined. She smiles and picks up her pad and pen, watching Jack terrible indiscreetly. Kiryuu always has a field day with this sort of thing.

 “Same again, sweetheart,” Kiryuu laughs. “All round, please.”

 “Right, right,” she says, glancing around and jotting them down. She pauses and glances at Yuusei. “Umm, you sure?”

 “Yes, thank you,” Yuusei says with a small nod. “Just the milk is fine. Someone has to watch over them.”

 “Right. I’ll be right back.”

 

 She hurries over to the bar and joins the bartender. A redhead, around their age, with a nasty sneer almost always behind the bar. Jack thinks he’s seen him before. The more he thinks about it the more he thinks Kiryuu might be right about the Satellite and human trafficking. And he’s sure he’s been at the parties Jack used to attend.

 Kiryuu gambles with him sometimes out back. Wins most the time. You should never play card games with Kiryuu. Or any games with Kiryuu really. But he swears up and down that they played Russian Roulette once; that the guy actually put the gun to his head and decorated the back room with his brain, but that he's there behind the bar is proof Kiryu is actually as batshit as ever. They really need to talk about whether all this stuff about demons and ghosts and occult stuff is good for Kiryuu’s recovery.

 The maid girl hurries back over, giving her boyfriend a wide berth, and setting a tray on their table. She smiles and sets the drinks on the table, murmuring about their tab and not getting into debt if they value their organs before scurrying away.

 “Well, she’s a strange one,” Crow slur, chin slipping off his palm. He jolts and shakes his head. “I bet they are the kind shady enough to harvest your organs if you can’t pay off your debt.”

 “Maybe that’s how they stay alive,” Kiryuu laughs. “Their undead powers come from eating their victim’s organs.”

 “What are they, zombies?” Jack says.

 “Maybe,” he says.

 “Don’t zombies die if you shoot them in the head?” Yuusei says into his drink. “You said he shot himself.”

 Jack rolls his eyes. Are they honestly having a debate over zombies and whether their bosses are undead? This is ridiculous. How strong are Kiryuu and Crow’s drinks? Jack decides that if he’s going to deal with all this insanity, he’s going to need whatever hideous fluorescent drink this is.

 “You should hear some of the stories,” Crow says. “I mean, if you listen to some of this crap they’re like, I dunno, some kind of unstoppable, unkillable monsters. Like Kiryuu.”

 Kiryuu’s head snaps up. “Hey.”

 “Maybe they’re just really stubborn like Kiryuu,” Yuusei says with a small smile. “Too stubborn to die.”

 “Really?”

 “Single track mind,” Jack agrees. “You’ve decided to stick with us, we’re never getting rid of you, are we?”

 “You guys keep that attitude up and you might,” Kiryuu mutters. He purses his lips and glares into his drink. “I’d totally haunt you guys from beyond the grave.”

 “We know,” they laugh.

 

 There’s loud laughter and they turn slightly. Over at the pool table the older teenagers and young teens are squealing and giggling. Two of the waiters are there. Some pool shark who’s on regularly. Hair pulled back into a ponytail and has more neon hair bands around his wrist than Jack can count. Some kind of teenager who thought he was cool and rebellious. And bouncey idiot who reminds him too much of Crow and Rua rolled into one - one of each is plenty for Jack - acts as bouncer and server, with as many key chains and charms clanking on his chain as the other has hair bands. And the young women seem are always all over them.

 “Remember when we were young enough to pull off that stuff?” Crow sighs.

 “What do you mean were?” Kiryuu laughs. “I could still pull it off. I mean Jack looks old, and Yuusei was always too baby faced and soft anyway. But I totally could.”

 “I’m not baby faced,” Yuusei says as they laugh. “Or soft.”

 “You’re a bleeding heart, Yuusei,” Crow replies. “You and your _‘everything’s my fault, I have to take the weight of the world on my shoulders and fix everything alone’_ complex. Like when you tried to get yourself arrested instead of Kiryuu.”

 “But I-” Yuusei jolts and Jack knows Kiryuu’s kicked him under the table just from the puppy dog look Yuusei gives him. “Kiryuu.”

 “That wasn’t your fault,” Kiryuu said.

 “No, it was yours,” Jack agree.

 “It was a joint effort.”

 “You murdered the guy.”

 “Wow, I’m so glad we can make jokes about my mental breakdown,” Kiryuu says. But he’s smiling slightly and his eyes are sparkling good naturedly. “I can’t believe my mental health means so little to you.”

 “Stop using that as an excuse to get around us, Kiryuu,” Crow laughs. “You can’t keep playing that up forever.”

 “Watch me.”

 “You’re so problematic.”

 “I’m Yuusei’s problematic favourite.”

 “I’m taking away all your internet privileges,” Yuusei mutters. “Don’t think I can’t.”

 Jack sighs, trying to at least partially tune out their idiots drivel. Bunch of children. Honestly, some days Jack can’t imagine how or why he ever actually got involved with these losers. They’re the kind of friends you hear about on TV. You’re not entirely sure exactly how you met, just that they’ve been in your life as long as you can remember. Things had sorta fallen apart when Kiryuu had gone to jail anyway. Now they’re back together, it’s probably best they stay that way. Jack doesn’t want to deal with that void again.

 Of course, after a few more drinks in a rainbow of colours - served by the pretty boy with the ponytail rather than the cute maid - Jack is laughing with Kiryuu and Crow too. Even Yuusei is laughing into his drink - he’s moved onto milkshakes at the recommendation of the bouncer and apparently they didn’t mention it was alcoholic. Yuusei seems to have given up on caring about that though. He’s not really sure what over, and there’s definitely no filter left on any of them, but it’s fun. It’s warm. Like they’re dumb kids again.

 

 It’s getting late when the boss sweeps in. It seems the place actually seems to be run by his older brother; some ethereal pretty boy genius who reminds Jack far too much of what Kiryuu could have been - a strangely ghostly, but charming gentleman with an aloof beauty, which may well be why Yuusei seems to enjoy working with him - but his eyes are cold. Jack's in doubt that one would kill and feel nothing. And has.

 Apparently he's the one who actually sorted their jobs. The actual boss of the empire. He comes passed their apartment every now and again on the way up. Apparently they know someone on the next floor.  Him or the cute pink little brother. Never the redhead.

 The pink one scares him more than the others. He gives Jack Martha-like vibes, only bred with an assassin. Which is actually a terrifying thought. He’s rarely seen, spends most his time in the back, or schooling the redhead. Jack’s pretty sure he doesn’t want to get on that one’s bad side.  
  
 When the boss steps into Tron, you can feel it. There’s a sudden tension in the room. He always comes in the front door, never the staff entrance like most the others. He strides in like the entire world should fall at his feet - a power Jack knows all too well - in a smart suit, today his hair loose and billowing around his ankles as he strides through the bar. Unstopable and radiating authority and control.

 “Ryouga,” he calls, without stopping. The redhead moves around the bar as the waiter looks up from taking an order. “You’re in charge for half an hour.”

 “Right,” the ponytailed boy replies.

 “It’s a hit,” Kiryuu says in a far too loud whisper.

 Jack can’t argue. The redhead makes a show of drawing his gun and as the boss gestures for a small group of even shadier looking men to head into the private back room. It definitely feels like someone’s going to die.

 

 They lose track of time completely. Crow is telling them for the fourth - maybe sixth, Jack’s pretty sure it’s an even number - how glad he is to have met them and Martha and how he’s glad he could have made a difference to the kids he looked after. Kiryuu is leaning on Jack’s shoulder laughing to himself over… something. And Yuusei is slumped over, head on his arms, looking half asleep.

 “We’re in the most upcoming city in the country, and we’re drinking together in our landlord’s mafia bar,” Kiryuu giggles.

 “It’s not a mafia bar,” Jack slurs, patting his hair lazily. Although he thinks he gets Kiryuu’s nose more than his hair. “It’s just… a bar-”

 “It’s a mafia bar,” he says. “People in fedora’s and violin cases and everything.”

 “What the hell kinda shit movies have you been watching recently?” Crow laughs.

 “Classics, Crow, they’re classics.”

 “I think you four might have had enough.” They glance up - Yuusei doesn’t move, actually, but the other three do - and find the pink one smiling at them. That Martha smile. “You’ll have to pay your tab before you drink again or we can add it to your rent if you don’t pay before then. Would you like us to call you a cab?”

 “Nah,” Kiryuu laughs, staggering up to his feet by putting all his weight - he seems to weigh more when he’s been drinking - against Jack. “Nah, we’re good. We’re tough kids. This is nothing. Let’s go partying.”

 “Let’s go home,” Yuusei mumbles into his arms.

 “We’re not kids,” Jack says as Kiryuu holds out his hands to pull him up. They both stagger and and laugh as the pink one sighs. “They’re kids, we’re not.”

 “Sure sure,” Crow laughs. “You’re manly men who are so mature.”

 “Glad you understand.”

 They stagger out into the cold night air, gazing up at the pretty lights of the city. The pink one sighs.

 “Please get home safely,” he calls after them. “You can’t pay us if you’re dead.”

 “Your concern is touching,” Crow laughs.

 “It’s only like…” Kiryuu frowns and considers for a moment. “A few trains. We’ll be fine.”

 Totally fine. They grew up in a worse place than this. Jack nods.

 “Your station is the other way,” the pink one calls.

 “I know where I’m going, Pinky,” Kiryuu replies, pulling him and Crow along with linked arms. “I got a map in my head.”

 Crow snorts. “You and your bloody maps.”

 “You graffitied all over them,” Jack says, barely holding himself together.

 “We couldn’t use that map of the Satellite again,” Yuusei mutters.

 And he sounds so honestly concerned by that fact that it sets them off again. Cackling and laughing as they stumble down the street, drowning out what might be the bouncer asking about finding them in a ditch in the morning. Whatever. They’re way tougher than any city kids anyway. They don’t need some terrifying pink fluff ball watching out for them.

 

 Jack’s head might as well be cotton. Everything is too bright and too loud and too hard and why can he smell _bleach_? Crow says something about handcuffs and Yuusei and Jack doesn’t want to open his eyes any further. What did they do last night?

 “Kiryuu,” Jack groans. “Get off of me.”

 “Not me,” Kiryuu replies.

 “You’re the only one around here who sleeps like a dead weight.”

 “Ah, that’d be the dead body.”

 “The fuck?!”

 He jerks up and the weight falls off his chest into his lap. Dead eyes staring back up at him. Jack scrambles out of bed, staring down at the corpse the entire time. What the fuck? What the actual fuck?! That’s not his bed. This isn’t his room. This isn’t their apartment!

 “Kiryuu, what did you do?!”

 

 Jack stumbles through the the next room. Kiryuu is on his hands and knees, hair tied back with that dumb lavender headband - why does he have that now of all times? - and is scrubbing the wooden floor. That explains the bleach. Yuusei and Crow are on the couch. Crow trying to unlock some kind of handcuff from Yuusei’s wrist.

 And all in only their underwear. Even him.

 Jack takes a slow breath, grinding his teeth. Kiryuu tilts his head back and smiles up at him. Like this is a normal result of a night drinking. Like this is as normal as Jack’s killer hangover, which suddenly isn’t nearly as bad. Of course. It’s Kiryuu. This may well be normal in his twisted mind. But he expected better of Crow and Yuusei.

 “You let me sleep with a dead body,” Jack hisses at last.

 “I doubt he needed the rest,” Kiryuu replies, because he’s _hilarious_ like that.

 “You let me sleep with a dead body touching me,” he snaps.

 “We didn’t want to disturb you,” Yuusei says.

 “You’re all terrible friends.” Kiryuu laughs and Crow shakes his head. “What. Happened?”

 “Dunno,” Kiryuu replies, getting back to scrubbing. “Woke up like this. Dead guy, some safe thing chained to Yuusei’s wrist, blood everywhere. None of us can remember a thing.” He grins up at Jack in the infuriatingly positive - annoyingly attractive - way that had once hidden all the cracks in his mind. Not reassuring. “Not my fault this time.”

 “Whatever happened, we’re all in it together now,” Yuusei says. “No one’s going to believe a bunch of criminals, one a murderer, and Jack, just woke up here like this and did nothing.”

 “What do you mean by _‘and Jack’_?” Jack snaps.

 “Clothes are being washed,” Crow continues. “Looks like we at least took our shoes off before anything messy happened, gonna have to scrub them when we get home though.”

 “Right now, the only bit of evidence we can’t deal with is the case attached to Yuusei’s wrist,” Kiryuu says.

 “It’s a damn good lock.”

 “It’s cutting off the feeling in my fingers,” Yuusei sighs. “Can’t you at least loosen it.”

 “I’m trying.”

 “Get cleaning, Jack,” Kiryuu laughs, tossing Jack a scrubbing brush. “I know Martha taught you how.”

 “So, you felt the need to remove my clothes, but not the corpse?” Kiryu frowns and tilts his head, puzzling it over for a moment. Idiot. “I don’t know why I’m friends with any of you.”

 

 Even so, they don’t have much choice. They’re right. No one’s going to believe they just woke up like this. He joins Kiryuu on the floor, grumbling to himself as he scrubs away the stains. Why the three idiots are acting like this is some cute bonding experience, he doesn’t know.

 It turns out they’d already figured out what to do with the body and were just being dicks. Once everything is sorted - except the case because Crow still can’t get it off - Kiryuu and Yuusei mess with the thermostat. Apparently, by changing the temperature in the room dramatically enough, they can attempt to throw off any time of death estimates. Jack thinks Kiryuu has watched one too many crime dramas.

 

 They step out into the halls and set the latch. Jack pauses. This is… their building. He scowls and glances up. That’s their apartment on the next floor! They were _that_ close!

 Jack smacks the back of Kiryuu’s head as he passes, heading up the stairs to unlock their own apartment. His hangover is coming back with a vengeance.

 “Ah, there you four are.” They stiffen at the pink one’s voice coming down the stairs from above. Yuusei tucks the case behind his back and Crow and Kiryuu put themselves in front of it as casually as possible. “I’m glad you’re all ok. We were concerned with how much you had to drink. We were worried something would happen, or you’d get yourself into trouble.”

 “We’re tough, you know,” Kiryuu laughs. “Take more than a few drinks to get us into trouble.”

 “I’m glad. Well, try to sleep off those nasty hangovers I’m sure you’re nursing.”

 The second he heads down the stairs, Jack turns away. Before any of the others can say anything, he’s inside. He tosses off his clothes once more, barely avoiding tripping over Stardust and Red begging for breakfast, and shuts himself in the bathroom. So much for going straight.


	2. From Beyond The Grave

 “Kiryuu,” Jack groans. “Get off of me.”

 “Not me,” Kiryuu replies.

 “You’re the only one around here who sleeps like a dead weight.”

 “Ah, that’d be the dead body.”

 “The fuck?!”

 Jack jerks up and the weight falls off his chest into his lap. He’s getting a terrible sense of deja vu. Golden eyes gaze back up at him; sparkling and warm and ohso amused by Jack’s reaction. His eyes narrow and his fingers twitch. The very familiar urge to just throttle Kiryuu is returning.

 “You aren’t worth a murder sentence, Kiryuu,” he growls.

 “Weren’t you paying attention?” Kiryuu says. He puts way too much weight on Jack as he sits up, grinning back at Jack in a way only Kiryuu can. “Didn’t we just go through how to cover up a murder this morning? If you were going to murder me, I’d hope you at least did a decent job covering it up.”

 “I have no idea how people think you’re anything like recovered.”

 “I resent the implication I’m any less crazy awesome than I used to be,” he laughs.

 “Heavy on the crazy,” he sighs. “Were you really lying on top of me all this time just for the sake of that dumb prank?”

 “Yep.”

 “You’re such a dick.”

 

 “Get up,” Kiryuu orders. “You can’t sleep forever. Get up, move on, pretend it never happened.”

 “Is that what you do?” Jack snaps as Kiryuu wanders towards the door. He doesn’t stop. “You just pretend it never happened.”

 “I can regret it, but I can’t change it,” he replies. “I did the depression and atonement thing. You guys snapped me out of it, remember? I’ve got to focus on getting on with my life, right? Unless you’d rather we ended up back there again? Come on. Red’s been _unbearable_ without you.”

 “Of course she has,” Jack sighs. “She’s a feline of taste. She has no interest in lower class humans like you.”

 “She’s been arguing with Gale again,” Kiryuu laughs.

 “If that mangy bird has hurt my cat-”

 “Your cat’s a menace,” Crow yells from the other room. “Gale did nothing wrong.”

 The door is pushed open and Red jumps up onto the bed, lying next to Jack and licking her paws delicately. Jack pets her head lightly and Kiryu rolls his eyes. It’s not his fault they don’t appreciate Red. How they’d ended up with such a menagerie is beyond him. It used to just be Stardust and Red. They’d found them together as kittens and brought them home to Martha’s. They’d been their house pets for years.

 Next thing they know Kiryuu is released from prison and given part of his rehabilitation had been working with dogs, Martha suggested it might be good for him to get one on the outside too. Beast - which Jack maintains is a dumb name for a dog - is some kind of huge mongrel. Whatever she was, and whatever Jack thought of her, there’s not really any denying she’s did Kiryuu the world of good.

 Gale, on the other hand, is neither pretty nor useful and really just make a lot of noise. Jack thinks Crow might have got her just because he’s jealous they all had their own pets. Crow’s dumb bleeding heart had seen him pick up an abandoned egg from some kind of black bird and raised her as if he’s some kind of mother bird.

 That’s not really the biggest deal in the world right now though. Red lies on his stomach and Jack runs his fingers through her soft red and black fur. Pleased as he is that they managed to squirm their way out of being found with a body, for now at least, there’s every chance they’re going to end up in heaps of trouble in a city they’re not even familiar with.

 

 “Oh, we are in so much trouble,” Kiryuu groans.

 And there it is.

 Jack picks up Red and heads out the the main room. They’ve got the case off Yuusei’s wrist and got it open. It’s sitting open on the coffee table and Jack frowns. A few bags of maroon pills. What’s the big deal about that?

 “We were better off with the dead body if those are what I think they are,” Crow says, shaking his head. Obviously the two of them know something he and Yuusei don’t. “ _Shit._ ”

 “If you two could do something other than swear among yourselves that would be great,” Jack snaps.

 “What is it?” Yuusei says quietly.

 “Chaos,” Kiryuu and Crow say at the same time.  They frown and Crow sighs, leaning back on the couch. “Those may as well be diamonds.”

 “Drugs?” Jack summaries.

 The pair laugh and Yuusei sighs. “Please, you two?”

 “Chaos is a ridiculously addictive drug,” Kiryuu explains, glaring down at the pills. “It’s rare. You only really find it around Heartland and even here it’s like gold dust. It’s addictive and sends you on a high like nothing else. Doesn’t just make you _feel_ invincible, it makes you damn near invincible.”

 “Problem is, along with being ridiculously addictive, it’s deadly,” Crow continues. Obviously these two heard a lot about it in jail. “The longest anyone’s ever lasted after taking it is a year. I mean, fuck, we’re so screwed. They’re gonna kill us.”

 “Who are they?” Jack snaps.

 “Whoever the hell is transporting Chaos,” Kiryuu snaps. “This stuff is beyond illegal. Like not even the bad guys will handle this stuff. The Arclights actively try to get it off the streets. Someone transporting it like this knows what they have an how serious it is.”

 Crow frowns. “Don’t you guys talk to people? Like it’s not hard to get people to talk about it. Do you wana tell the story or me?”

 “You do it. You’re the storyteller around here.”

 Jack rolls his eyes and sits across from them. Red curls up in his lap. They’re going to have story time apparently. Like they’re five year olds again. Stardust is lounging on the back of the couch, and after a quick glance around Jack finds Beast under the coffee table.

 “I feel like we should turn off the lights and get you a torch,” Kiryuu laughs. “Like we used to when we were doing ghost stories back in the Satellite.”

 “Can you two just get on with it?” Jack snaps.

 

 “Right, right,” Crow says. “Years ago, Dr Arclight and Dr Tenjou ruled Heartland City with an iron fist. Both sides of the law. It was a corrupt, criminal enterprise, the entire city. A criminal hotspot. Where the rich got richer and the poor could do nothing but spiral deeper into crime to survive.”

 “Sounds like the Satellite and Neo Domino back in the day,” Yuusei murmurs.

 Crow nods. “Dr Arclight and Dr Tenjou worked with government scientists on a project to create super soldiers. Of course, neither side was actually going to let the other have the technology if it worked, but they worked together anyway. And then Dr Arclight’s daughter died at thirteen. Dr Arclight was driven insane by the grief and began experimenting on his own remaining children. Trying to find the perfect cure. Trying to make sure he would never lose them. He became controlling and cruel and they became twisted and unstable.”

 “That doesn’t really sound like the Arclights we know,” Jack puts in.

 “Stop interrupting, guys,” Kiryuu snaps.

 “Thanks, Kiryuu,” Crow says. “Anyway, so,  Chaos was the drug that stabilizes the experiments. The changes were too much. No one could handle them. The Chaos stabilized them for a while, but at the same time, it tore them apart. It was the choice between a painful death from the changes made to them or a painful death on the drugs that saved them. It was a hundred percent failure rate.”

 “Then how-”

 “ _Interrupting,_ ” Kiryuu says firmly, glaring at Jack. Jack shuts his mouth. “He’s gonna get there, so let him talk.”

 “So, like Jack was about to say,” Crow says, “if there was a total failure rate, why are those boys still alive? They would need Chaos to survive and no one can survive on Chaos. Story goes, they died. The project was shut down at what little information could be salvaged created the hunters. With the hunters around, Heartland started to pick up. Dr Tenjou was focused on his sick youngest son and Dr Arclight was falling apart in his grief. But, in their research into these super soldiers, Dr Arclight discovered the cure to the kid’s illness. He wouldn’t give it to Dr Tenjou though. If he couldn’t have his children, why should Dr Tenjou? So, in desperation, Dr Tenjou killed him and took the cure.”

 Jack opens his mouth and Kiryuu narrows his eyes. He shuts it again, focusing on petting Red, who rolls over to let him rub her belly.

 “And so, the restless spirits of Dr Arclight’s sons, fueled by their need for revenge, took form once more. They made a deal with demons in the underworld and regained life. They saw Dr Tenjou face justice for his crime and took control of the criminal empire that they doctors had built.”

 “I would totally do that if one of you guys betrayed me,” Kiryuu laughs.

 “Kiryuu!” Yuusei snaps, smacking his shoulder.

 “You were nearly believable until that last bit, Crow,” Jack sighs. “So, what we actually got out of this ridiculous conversation was that this Chaos stuff is a bad idea. And we should get rid of it before whoever was transporting it decided to kill us too.”

 “That and that the Arclights really are undead,” Kiryuu says.

 “Or top secret super soldiers from a failed experiment,” Crow says.

 “Oh, and that one theory where they’re AIs in super sophisticated android bodies.”

 “Stop it, you two,” Yuusei says. “They’re probably just normal, slightly amoral, businessmen who took over their father’s businesses. Stop listening to rumours.”

 When did Crow and Kiryu ever ignore a good piece of gossip? No matter how wild and unrealistic. Gossip is gossip.  That all they care about. Jack sighs. It seems obvious to Jack that they get rid of this stuff and get back to normal. The last thing they need is getting involved in some kind of super illegal blacklist drug trade. Never mind the people involved in it killing them, _Martha_ will kill them.

 

 “So, how do we get rid of it?” Yuusei says.

 “We try and sell it, we’d probably get killed,” Kiryuu says. “But there’s no way we can just get rid of it. Anyone could find it. Don’t want that on our consciences.”

 “You said the Arclights are trying to get rid of this stuff. Why not give it to them?”

 “What if they try to kill us?”

 “Why would they?”

 “Who knows but when this stuff is involved it’s always a mess,” Crow says. “I heard a stash of this got into the Satellite once. You remember those huge riots-”

 “That was because of this stuff?” Jack snaps. “Let’s just get rid of it. Flush it or something.”

 “There’s still the question of why it was on Yuusei’s wrist,” Kiryuu says with a shrug. “And why we woke up with a dead guy. If the guys who killed him know we have this shit, whether we get rid of it or not, we’re screwed. They’ll come after us.”

 “Probably the type who’s kill us if we handed it back over to stop us talking,” Crow sighs. “And would kill us if we didn’t have it because we’re witnesses.”

 “Our lives were in less danger back in the Satellite,” Jack says, shaking his head. “I can’t believe you got us into this mess, Kiryuu.”

 “I am not taking the blame for this one,” Kiryuu snaps. “Not. My. Fault.”

 

 Before they can reply there’s a knock on the door. Kiryuu frowns and Crow shuts the case, hiding it under the couch as Yuusei goes to open the door. The temperature drops a good few degrees as the older Arclight brother smiles. It doesn’t reach his eyes. At all. The other two brothers are either side of him, a few goons in suits surrounding them.

 “Good afternoon, gentlemen.”

 “Christopher,” Yuusei says quietly. That saves Jack the awkwardness of trying to remember what his name is through this conversation. If only he could remember the names of the other two as well. “What can we do for you and your… friends?”

 “Let’s not play games,” Christopher says. He’s still smiling but somehow Jack only feels the icy shadow of death closing in closer around them. “Last night something of the the utmost importance was stolen. If you could please return it to us, we’d be grateful.”

 The four of them glance at each other and Kiryuu leans back on the couch, looking surprisingly casual given their situation. Christopher’s eyes fall on him and his lips press into a thin line. And Kiryuu - like the idiot he is - grins back.

 “Given how you’ve burst in here, how are we to know you’re not just going to kill us the second we tell you where it is?” Kiryuu says. “Assuming we even know what you’re talking about.”

 Jack glares at him, silently willing Kiryuu to do the sensible thing for once in his life and shut his mouth. Christopher is watching him silently. The way one looked at a condemned man. Or a creature that was about to be torn apart by a predator.

 “What kind of barbaric business do you think I’m in?” Christopher says. “Perhaps that’s how things are done where you’re from, but here in Heartland City, we’re a better class of businessmen. For starters, we didn’t burst in anywhere. As you saw, I knocked and was let in. I’m simply asking for the return of my property. I have no interest in people who weren’t involved. However, withholding what’s rightfully mine and covering for those involved, well, that could be considered working with them. I’d hate to think such valued employees and customers would need to be treated as enemies.”

 “Kiryuu,” Yuusei says quietly.

 “Kiryuu, you psycho asshole,” Jack hisses. “Give them what they want.”

 “Don’t get us killed just because you have some death wish,” Crow snaps.

 “You guys are so boring,” Kiryuu sighs. “Fine.”

 He kicks his heel under the couch and the case slides out behind. Chris’ serene, cold smile returns. Jack lets out a breath. Finally Kiryuu is seeing reason and not standing his ground for the sake of being right. Even Jack, who’s never a fan of surrendering, can’t see any point fighting this fight. Finally, Kiryuu has stopped messing around and seen that too.

 

 “Thomas. Please.”

 The redhead strides across the apartment and picks up the case. Kiryuu watches him with a small smile the entire time as he checks over the case, probably checking it hasn’t been tampered with. He stands slowly and leans on the back of the couch, whispering to Kiryuu.

 “You just need to learn to bluff better, Red,” Kiryuu replies with a grin. “You’re like an open book most the time.”

 “It’s worth it to see you lose just this once, Blue,” Thomas murmurs.

 He straightens up and returns to Christopher’s side. Why does Kiryuu have to flirt with danger, _literally,_ all the time? Christopher takes the case and fastens it to Thomas’ wrist. Hopefully they’re just going to be left alone now.

 “Thank you for your cooperation, gentlemen,” Christopher says as Thomas steps away. “I’m glad you saw sense in the end. Michael, can you please oversee the cleanup over these three floors?”

 The pink one smiles. “Leave it to me.”

 

 Suddenly Jack is sure the spectre of death is hovering right over his shoulder. Christopher and Thomas turn away, taking their goons with them and leaving Michael smiling back at them. After all that they’re going to die anyway. Well, that’s just great. Michael reaches into his jacket and everyone but Kiryuu goes still. Kiryuu is still just lounging around like an idiot.

 “I’m terribly sorry you four were involved in this,” Michael says. He walks over slowly and Kiryuu finally sits up. “Consider you tab written off.” That is the least of their concerns right now. “Next time you get into a mess, perhaps you should consider calling some professional cleaners. Just tell them we referred you, they’ll be more than happy to help.”

 He hands Kiryuu a card and walks away without another word, shutting the door firmly behind him. Kiryuu grins, looking over the card as they all breathe again. Was it really that simple? They got what they wanted and left?

 

 “This’ll come in handy if any other bodies turn up,” Kiryuu says.

 “No more bodies,” Yuusei snaps. “Kiryuu, we can’t go getting involved in this sort of stuff.”

 “He’s right,” Jack says firmly. “We’re done with it, let’s be glad and get back to being normal. That’s what we’re here for, remember?”

 “Martha will kill us if we get into more trouble,” he agrees.

 “Hmm, I guess you two don’t wanna know who tried to frame us for murder and get us killed then?” Kiryuu says.

 Yuusei sighs. “Crow, can you try-”

 Crow is pulling out the bags of Chaos from his jacket pocket. He pocketed it? Really? Jack sets Red in his seat as he gets up. He pauses to give Kiryuu and Crow each a smack on the back of the head as he leaves.

 “Where are you going, Jack?” Yuusei says.

 “To talk to wall,” Jack replies. “I’m sure it’ll listen better than these two morons.”

 “I don’t care for getting wrapped up in this shit,” Crow says. “But I’m not about to forgive someone for framing us and trying to get us killed.”

 Kiryuu grins, slamming his fist into his palm. “No one gets away with screwing with us! We’re gonna take action. Just like back in the day.”

 “We’re not kids running around the lawless Satellite anymore,” Yuusei scolds. Jack pauses at the apartment door. Is Yuusei going to manage to talk them out of this or not? Yuusei sighs. That’s a no then. “But I do agree, someone trying to do this to us is unsettling.”

 “You’re outvoted, Jack,” Kiryuu calls.

 “I’m just saying we should discuss this carefully, not that I agree.”

 

 Jack shuts the door without a word, leaving the three of them to this ridiculous plan. After taking all the time to tell them how dangerous Chaos and the Arclights are, they then decide to mess with them. Typical Kiryuu.

 The rooftop garden is a world away from the lights and noise below in Heartland City. And Kiryuu’s crazy plans. Just peace and quiet. Even his days in the Tops in Neo Domino don’t compare. All the demands and pressures. No matter how much Jack had enjoyed the attention and riches and the luxury, there’s something nice about no longer living a lie. No longer having Rex fucking Godwin watching over him with that smug, all knowing smile all the time. Having these idiots around him again. Even if they are idiots.

 Jack doesn’t need to look away from the clear sky to know it’s Kiryuu who sits next to him on the grass. Usually it’s Yuuei who comes to talk him down, but this is a team matter, so Kiryuu has come to talk him around to their way of thinking. That stupid dog is with him,  Jack can hear it’s tail going. And suddenly there’s music. Kiryuu’s dumb harmonica.

 “Why is it all you learnt in prison was how to play a harmonica?” Jack grumbles.

 “Atmosphere,” Kiryuu says between breaths.

 Jack shakes his head. Kiryuu spent years inside. He was, luckily, deemed not responsible for his crimes thanks to the fact that he was absolutely nuts and underage. Not even Neo Domino could believe a Satellite of Kiryuu’s age could actually commit a crime like that and be in his right mind. He’d been released into Martha’s care supposedly recovered and ready to be a responsible citizen once more.

 

 “So, after spending that long telling us how dangerous the Arclights are, you thought it was a good idea to steal from them?” Jack says at last. “And after telling us how dangerous Chaos and the people trading it must be, we’re going to get involved in that mess?”

 The music pauses. “I’m the type who holds a grudge, Jack. You know that. What was it you used to say? If someone hits you, you hit them back twice as hard. There’s no excuse for letting people screw with us.”

 “And when we get in deeper and end up with bullet holes between our eyes?” he says.

 “We’re better than that, Jack,” he laughs. “You’ve lost that Satellite pride. You’ve gone soft. We’re not going to let some sissy city fat cats think they can use us as scapegoats.” He pauses and Jack finally glances up at him. There’s that shiteating, smug grin that Jack wants to punch off his face. “Or have you got too used to playing some rich asshole’s lapdog for a quick buck to remember how to fight back?”

 Fight back? Jack growls and swings up and around. Kiryuu falls back to the grass with a thud and Jack pins him with one hand in his hair as he flexes his hand warily. The pain fades after a moment. His knuckles are a little sore but that won’t take long to fade. Kiryuu’s jaw is still as hard as anything.

 “How’s that for fighting back, Kiryuu?” Jack growls.

 “I’ve taken harder hits from Martha’s ladle,” Kiryuu replies.

 “You’re going to be the death of us all,” he snaps. “Let it go. Get rid of that shit, tell them we didn’t open the case, and let’s get back to living a normal life like we planned.”

 “How the hell are we supposed to let it go?” he argues. “This is serious, Jack.”

 “Exactly, all the more reason to stay out of it.”

 “You’ve changed your tune. What happened to the old Jack? The one who wouldn’t take anything from anyone? Don’t you care they tried to do that to us? Don’t you want answers?!”

 “We don’t want to lose you again!” Kiryuu frowns and Jack glances away, lowering his voice. Idiot got him all riled up and saying dumb things. “We just got you back, moron. You’ll take things too far and get too wrapped up in revenge and honour and whatever else you insist on. Haven’t we told you enough times? You don’t need to do dumb shit. We’re your friends no matter what. Listen to us for once in your life.”

 Kiryuu gazes up at him silently for a moment and Jack glares at nothing. Kiryuu really is an idiot. And Jack’s an even bigger idiot for putting up with him. And the rest. He should have stayed in Neo Domino. They really are ridiculous. How did he get stuck with them? He sits back and Kiryuu sits up, leaning on his knees.

 “It’ll end up with you in jail again or dead, and then Yuusei and Crow will get depressed again and I’ll have to kick your ass,” Jack says.

 “How do you plan on kicking my ass if I’m dead?” Kiryuu laughs.

 “A little thing like the border between life and death isn’t going to stop Jack Atlas from handing out a good asskicking for your stupidity. Besides, weren’t you just saying you’d come back from the dead to annoy us?”

 “Watch over you, Jack,” he corrects. “You guys need someone looking after you or you fall apart. I’m like the glue that keeps the three of you together.”

 “Only out of concern for what you’ll do if you’re not supervised.”

 

 “You guys made up yet?” Crow calls as he and Yuusei come out to join them. “Everything good?”

 “He’s still an idiot,” Jack replies.

 “If that’s our only problem, I think we’re alright,” Yuusei says.

 The pair sit with them, Crow’s dumb bird fluttering off to one of the trees and Yuusei pats Beast’s head. Maybe Jack does sort of enjoy having the idiots around, no matter what he says. But, they are idiots.

 “So,” Jack says eventually. “ _If_ I went along with your dumb idea, and I’m not saying I will, what  exactly is your plan? And are you going to listen to us when we say you’re being dumb?”

 “Just talking through the plan, right?” Yuusei says firmly.

 “Just like the old days,” Crow says. “Before _someone_ decided not to listen anymore.”

 “You guys are never gonna let that go, are you?” Kiryuu sighs. Beast nudges his hand and Kiryuu grins. “Alright, here’s the plan…”


	3. The Guardian Of Lost Souls

 A week on and it seems the Arclights haven’t noticed their missing Chaos. Hopefully. Given they’re not dead, Crow hopes they haven’t noticed. Nothing has happened. Perhaps they’ll be ok.

 It had taken a bit of careful asking around but, eventually, they find someone who might be able to give them the information they want. The four of them are standing in front of a warehouse on the docks. It’s one of the smaller ones, hidden away down the back alleys. Just the place to find someone involved with the Arclights. It had taken them a few days to convince Jack this was going to be ok. Crow gets it. He’s not exactly thrilled they’re getting back into this sort of mess, but Kiryuu’s right: someone’s messing with them and he doesn’t want to let that go without even finding out who or why.

 Beast is with them, walking quietly along at Kiryuu’s heel. She’s big and intimidating and loved Kiryuu enough to protect him from danger without thought. Just as an extra safety precaution.

 “So, this is the place,” Yuusei says. They’re all hesitating. They didn’t survive this long by running in blindly. “I guess we should…”

 “Get going,” Kiryuu says.

 He and Beast head towards the warehouse and they follow. He knocks on the door and it’s opened by a kid. Crow smiles and Kiryuu leans down, handing her the card they’d been given. She gazes up at them for a moment before nodding and opening the door wider.

 “Your dog’s cute,” she says as they come in.

 “Ah, she’s a good girl,” Kiryuu replies. “Do you want to pet her?”

 She nods and Beast sits as the kid walks over and pets her gently. The warehouse reminds Crow too much of the Satellite. It’s a shelter. There are bundles of blankets and camping cots and old crappy mattresses and sleeping bags. It’s a place for Heartland City’s poor and homeless. Overcrowded and miserable, but a place to hide from the cold. A place to sleep where you won’t die of hypothermia or be soaked through every time it rains. Crow remembers hiding away in doorways at night before he’d met Jack and Yuusei and Martha had taken him in. He would have killed for something like this in a Satellite. It’s warm and dry and clean, despite not being much.

 

 The girl leads them up a set of metal stairs to a half floor and what Crow guesses would have once been the warehouse office. Now it’s a little studio apartment. There’s a man their age at the desk, working on a laptop and taking notes. He glances up when the girl knocks on the door. Crow frowns. He looks just like Ryouga from Tron.

 “Aren’t you the Arclight’s pool shark?” Jack says.

 Mismatched eyes blink back at them lazily and the little girl hurries over, handing him the car Kiryuu had given her. He smirks lazily and nods.

 “Didn’t think you guys looked like you needed a place to stay. Thanks, Iris.” He smiles and pets her head as he stands and she clings to his hand. “Introductions are polite before business, you know?”

 Kiryuu smirks. “Kiryuu, Jack, Crow, Yuusei and Beast. You?”

 “Nasch.” Nasch steps past them and gestures for them to follow. “Walk and talk, it’s dinner time.”

 He leads them up another half floor to the upper floor. He types in a code at a gate and opens it for them so they can head into the enclosed floor. This is definitely better equipped area. The gate shuts behind them and Iris runs off onto the floor. It’s then Crow realises everyone on this floor is a child. They’re kept locked in away from the adults.

 “You keep the kids locked up?” he snaps.

 Nasch smiles and shakes his head. “It’s only locked from the other side. The kids can leave if they want. It’s to keep them safe. And looked after. This is where the funding goes first. The kids are the priority. You can let the dog off as long as it’s well behaved.”

 “She is,” Kiryuu replies.

 Beast goes trotting off to play with the kids and Crow supposes he can understand what Nasch means. It is better equipped than the other, and he remembers being a terrified kid surrounded by criminals. He supposes it makes sense that they’re keeping the kids safe and separate. Perhaps this Nasch guy isn’t so shady.

 

 “So, how did you find me?” Nasch says, opening up a door and revealing a kitchen. “Most people who come here are looking for shelter. Not many people come for me personally.”

 “We were told you’re the authority around here on all things undead,” Kiryuu laughs.

 “ _Undead?_ ” There’s a strange look in Nasch’s eyes as he picks up a large pot and sets it on the stove. “I’m not into zombie movies, I’m afraid.”

 “You look after all these guys on your own?” Crow says, stepping over help him with the second pot. Nasch nods. “Let us help today. If we’re asking you for info, let us lend you a hand.”

 Nasch frowns at them for a moment before tilts his head. He taps his cheek and Crow knows he’s looking at their markers. There aren’t many places that mark up their criminals like this. Neo Domino was a pretty harsh place.

 “You guys must be pretty deep to come out to Heartland,” he says, tossing Crow an apron.  Crow smiles and throws it at Kiryuu, who’s tying his hair back as Nasch hands him another. “Or didn’t you have any choice in the matter?”

 “Can’t do much in Neo Domino with markers like these,” Crow says. He glances back at Jack and Yuusei. “Why don’t you guys go see what you can do for the guys downstairs, huh?” They nod and turn away as Crow and Kiryuu join Nasch, helping him with chopping vegetables. “We can’t do much back home, no matter what our skills out. No formal education, no clean record, no prospects. So we came out here.”

 “Was all going pretty well until we woke up with a dead body and a case a Chaos,” Kiryuu says.

 “Ahh, so that’s why you’re here,” Nasch laughs. “You want to know about Chaos and the Arclights.”

 “Is it true you’re the best place to get information about that?” Crow says. “Or at least some juicy gossip.”

 

 Nasch laughs, tucking his hair behind his ear. There’s something so sad and wistful about him. It reminds Crow of how Yuusei used to look when he talked about Kiryuu while he was in jail. Longing and lonely, knowing someone is out there but unable to reach them. Full of regret and the knowledge that things will never be the same.

 “What do you want to know?”

 “How come the Arclights are undead?” Kiryuu says with a smirk. Crow glares at him and Nasch frowns. “I saw the guy shoot himself and he’s up and bartending the next night.”

 “Jack’s right, you really are still insane,” Crow sighs. “Stop bullshitting, Kiryuu. No way that happened.”

 “Definitely happened.”

 Nasch frowns. “All you have to do is ask around and you’ll get a million people telling you their theories on that.”

 “But what’s the truth?” Crow says. He _is_ kinda curious.

 “Who knows?” Nasch says quietly. His hand presses absently to his side. He sighs softly and smiles. “I wish I had those answer too, to be honest. A few years ago, I saw the same thing.” Crow scowls and Kiryuu puts down his hands, watching Nasch with a curious frown. “I was with one of the Arclights and someone put a gun to his head and pulled the trigger. I was so sure he was dead. And then, years later, I found out he was still alive.” He laughs and closes his eyes for a moment. “I was so sure. I told myself the bullet must have missed. Must have grazed his head or something but…”

 “The more you listen to stories, the more supernatural they seem?” Kiryuu says. Nasch nods. “I thought the same. It must have been a trick. I must have seen wrong. But the more you hear, the more you know something’s up with those guys.”

 “Yeah…” Nasch’s fingers tremble against his side. He shakes his head and drops the vegetables into the pot. “Couldn’t tell you the reason, I’m afraid. I’ve wanted to know the same for a long time. No, I was close to the Arclights, but I never knew that secret. Try again.”

 “Who’s moving around Chaos?” Kiryuu asks.

 “A few people,” Nasch sighs. He frowns, returning to cooking. “The Arclights move it from wherever it turns up. Bring it here, dispose of it in their father’s lab. It’s vulnerable during transport, people looking to make a quick buck, idiots who don’t know what they have. There are rumours that Project Numbers has been restarted.”

 “Project Numbers?” they both say.

 “The experiment Chaos came from. Bodies were turning up all over, there were people saying the experiments were starting again.”

 “And are they?” Kiryuu insists.

 “I don’t know everything,” Nasch says. Kiryuu narrows his eyes. Crow’s frown deepens. That’s Kiryuu’s _‘I don’t believe you’_ face. He thinks Nasch knows more than he’s letting on. “Tenjou Tech is rumoured to be collecting Chaos from outside Heartland. Apparently some stocks were sold off to other areas for their own experiments. Supposedly Tenjou Tech is buying it back.”

 “Tenjou Technology’s the other big business here, right?” Crow says. “Tenjou’s the other doctor. Dr Arclight’s partner?”

 “That’s right. It’s owned by his sons, one of which is the city’s best hunter. Most the day to day stuff is handled by Mr Heartland. Slimey bastard that one.”

 “Really?”

 “He’s a guy who always dresses obnoxiously brightly?” Kiryuu says. “Ridiculous hat, bright colours, fluff everywhere. Sorta like Jack when you don’t keep an eye on his budget.”

 “He’s not that bad,” Crow laughs.

 “Yeah, that’s the guy,” Nasch says. “Fronts the company for them. Everyone knows he’s a total slimeball. Even the Arclights hated dealing with him. He’s a real creep. Always gave off that vibe. He likely has access to all the Project Numbers files Tenjou Tech has. I wouldn’t put it passed him to release that information for the right price. They could be creating new Chaos. Or new forms of Chaos that are even worse.”

 “So, someone left us with Chaos and the dead body,” Kiryuu says. “What would you recommend?”

 “Any idea who the body was?”

 Kiryuu shakes his head. “Arclights dealt with it.”

 “They said the Chaos had been stolen from them,” Crow says.

 “That’s unusual,” Nasch muses. “Stealing from the Arclights without a damn good reason is asking for a death sentence.”

 “That’s not reassuring.”

 Nasch hums thoughtfully, focused on stirring the pot. It reminds Crow of home. Of cooking for his kids. Of Martha cooking for them. The laughter of kids around them, Beast playing like the good dog she is. Kiryuu smiling and chatting away animatedly, as if that marker had never been burned into his face. As if nothing had changed since those days when they were on top of the world.

 

 Jack and Yuusei return about an hour later, helping Kiryuu take one pot down the stairs with bowls and bread and spoons while Crow remains with Nasch and the kids, setting up for them. The kids are already hovering around, eager for their fill. Crow would have loved to do this sort of thing for all the kids of the Satellite back in the day. He’s sure Martha would have too, if she could. It might now be much, but Nasch is providing them with shelter and warmth and food. Everything Satellite kids longed for.

 They sit around the table as Nasch spoons out the meal. It’s loud and it’s chaotic. Iris seems as at home with the kids as Beast, who’s sitting at Crow’s side, watching the pot imploringly. She has perfected the puppy dog eyes.

 Suddenly there’s a bowl under Crow’s nose and he starts, blinking down at his reflection in the broth. Nasch smiles and tilts his head.

 “You cooked it,” he says. “Least I can do is let you have some of it with us.”

 Crow stares for a moment longer before nodding gratefully and sitting at the table with them. The kids are feeding Beast from the table and Nasch scolds them when he catches them but it doesn’t do much to stop them. They just get sneakier. And all of a sudden Crow misses his own kids more than words can say. They’re happy. They’re safe. With Martha. She’s far more suited to looking after them than Crow is, after all. Especially since the Satellite is no longer a lawless slum but just another part of the city and Crow’s pretty sure he’d never get official clearance to look after them. It’s for the best. It doesn’t stop it hurting though.

 “You ok?” Nasch says.

 “Just thinking about home?” Crow laughs, shaking his head. “I used to look after a bunch of orphans back in the Satellite. Reminds me of home. Sorta, reminds me of my foster home too. I wanted to give the kids the same kind of hope and home Martha gave me. I think I did some good.” He pauses and frowns curiously. “Why do you do this?”

 Nasch gets that look again. Bittersweet and sad and struggling to deal with something. Regret and pain. Not just something he recognises from Yuusei. Kiryuu used to look a lot like that too when he first came out of prison.

 “I did a lot of bad stuff,” he replies. “I wasn’t a nice guy. I’ve built up a lot of bad karma. I’ve accepted my punishment for my crimes, I can’t do anything to change that anymore. But, I guess this is me working on good karma. I lead a lot of souls into darkness and despair, trapped them with no way out, now the least I can do is protect those lost souls and try to guide them back to the light however I can. Or at least keep them safe.”

 “The guardian of lost souls, huh?” Crow laughs softly. “If it’s always like this, I’d say you’re building up that good karma pretty quickly.”

 Nasch nods. “It’ll never be enough. But I’ve got the rest of my life and whatever come after. This is my second chance. I have to make the most of it.”

 “Second chance?”

 “I should have died a few years ago,” he explains. “I should have and I have no idea why I didn’t. I barely remember that night, but I know I should be dead.”

 “Lady luck smiling on you,” Crow laughs. “And if it’s lead to this, maybe that’s why. Maybe you were meant for this.”

 “Do you believe in fate?” Nasch says. “Something that lead me here?”

 Crow frowns and pauses. Does he? That something guided him to Yuusei, Jack and Kiryuu. Something brought them together. Something’s guided their lives for some purpose? Making sure they’re where they should be. Doesn’t that assume he’s important enough that the universe has a purpose for him? Doesn’t that completely write out any sense of freewill?

 “I believe…” He frowns a little. “I believe that the universe gives us what we need, if we work hard, if we earn it and deserve it. These people needed someone. You need forgiveness. You were brought together. Like two sides of a magnet. The law of attraction, I guess.”

 Nasch smiles and nods a little. It’s nice to know something exists here like this. People like Nasch exists. It sounds like he’s got a past, but who hasn’t. Crow’s not one to judge someone trying to turn their life around and make up for the mistakes they’ve made. He’s forgiven Kiryuu. He’s worked to make things better. Nasch obviously is too.

 

 “What did you do?” Crow says finally.

 “For lack of a better way to describe it, I was a drug dealer in high school,” Nasch says. “Petty stuff really. I got in with gangs when I was young. I was one of those idiots who thought he could rule the world. I thought I was tough.” Crow nods absently. He’s seen enough kids like that. Get into a bit of low level crime and think they’re all that. “As I got older I go into fights with gangs, sold pills out my locker, that kind of stuff. And then I met him.”

 There’s no mistaking that look. Crow smiles, leaning his chin on his palm. “You fell in love?”

 “I did something stupid, that’s for sure,” he laughs. “And he showed me what it was like to really rule the world. I didn’t know who he was, what he was capable of, at first. I found out pretty quickly when I pissed him off. He really was at the top of the ladder, and he pulled me up with him.”

 “What happened to him?”

 “We died,” Nasch whispers. “At least, we should have.” He frowns and shakes his head, raising his voice a little. “Come on, kids, you’re finished. There’s no dessert today. Go wash up.”

 “Yes, Nasch.”

 The kids run off, clearing the table and heading to the kitchen to do chores after their meal. Just like they used to for Martha. Crow smiles watching them for a moment, but he wants to get to the bottom of Nasch.

 “Like I said, I don’t remember much,” Nasch say. He smiles sadly and lowers his head. “But I see I see it sometimes. I relive it in my dreams sometimes. I remember being above him in bed.” His hand goes to his side warily once more. “I was bleeding. He had a gunshot to the shoulder. I remember the gun in my hand. Telling him I was sorry as I put it to his head. He smiled at me. Said it would be ok.”

 Crow frowns. Doesn’t sounds like Nasch is the kind of murderer who just snapped like Kiryuu did. He honestly sounds like he murdered his own lover. That’s cold blooded. Crow can’t imagine what would drive someone to that beyond a completely unhinged mind. That doesn’t sound like the Nasch he’s talking to now.

 “And then, I put the gun to my own head.”

 “You… tried to kill yourself too?”

 It doesn’t shock Crow too much. He’s seen a lot. He was only a young kid when he saw his first body in the slums. You got used to it. He’s seen enough people who’d been killed and killed themselves. But somehow Nasch just didn’t make sense.

 “I told you,” Nasch says. “This is my second chance. I’m not going to be able to make it right, I can never see him again, and I have to live with that, but I’m doing what I can to atone in someway.”

 Crow nods. Sounds like Kiryuu and his little trip out to cowboy land they had to drag him back from before he got himself killed. “Why did you do it?”

 “I don’t know,” he says. Crow believes him for some reason. There’s something about the way he says it and the look in his eyes that make Crow believe Nasch really doesn’t know why he did it. “I honestly don’t. I know it sounds lame but I barely remember that night, let alone why I did it. I woke up days later. I really don’t know what happened.”

 “Sounds like another mystery that needs solving,” Crow laughs. “Maybe we’ll get there on the way to solving ours.”

 “Yeah, you have fun riding around in your Mystery Machine looking for clues,” Nasch says, getting up and wandering away to help the kids put the dishes away. “Just don’t expect that when you unmask you villain all you’ll get is _‘if it wasn’t for you meddling kids’._ More likely you’ll be just another set of bodies for the cleaners to deal with.”

 “Trust me, there’s no way I’m suggesting we split up and look for clues,” he replies, waving his hands. “We’re slightly more horror movie and it’s when you split up someone gets murdered. Or at the least scared to death by Kiryuu. Although he is very fond of a good trap.”

 “Mm, and your dumb dog too.”

 “Don’t let Kiryuu hear you call Beast that. You’re not the only one who’s a murderer around here.” Crow sighs and shakes his head. “Hey, do you believe in ghosts? The supernatural, stuff like that?”

 “I do, as a matter of fact,” Nasch replies. “It’d be kinda sad if when we died there was nothing beyond. I don’t think that’s what the Arclights are, but… you hear stories, don’t you? Of wandering ghost who don’t realise they’re dead. I don’t think that’s what I am though. For a start, I’m pretty sure I should have died. And second I’m not sure ghosts can use computers. And I don’t think much of what people say is supernatural is.”

 “Usually just a guy in a mask, huh? Kiryuu’s into all the stuff. Not sure how much of it he actually believes and how much is him messing around like the jerk he is, though. Or maybe it’s because of what he’s done. What he’s been through. I think he thinks about it a lot more than he lets on.” Nasch frowns and Crow tilts his head. “What?”

 “I might be able to help you guys a bit more than what little I’ve given you so far,” Nasch says. Crow frowns and Nasch smirks. “Gimme a few days to talk to some people. I think I might have something. If you guys are willing to work for it.”

 “Do we look like the kind who’re afraid to work?”

 “Alright. I’ll look into it for you.”

 

 It’s late when they return to their apartment. It’s been a fulfilling day. Helping out the kids and the homeless in the shelter. It’s nice to see someone helping people like that. The four of them are on Jack’s bed. He somehow got the biggest bed; probably something to do with having the loudest voice. It’s nothing new. Back in the day, it was normal for the four of them would sit together on beds smaller than this. Far smaller. Squashed together, laughing and comfortable. Of course, they were quite a bit smaller back then.

 “So,” Kiryuu says, like this is a formal meeting. “What did we learn today?”

 “This city is a mess hiding behind pretty lights,” Jack says. “Just as bad as back home.”

 “The Arclights don’t have a bad reputation,” Yuusei says. “Most people agree they’re pretty nice guys.”

 “That Nasch guy was sleeping with one of them,” Crow says. The other turn to him. “What? I sat and chatted with him. He never said as much but it was pretty obvious. He was totally sleeping with one of them.”

 “And this job we might have to help us along the way?” Kiryuu asks.

 “I dunno,” he replies with a shrug. “We were talking about that supernatural stuff and he said he might know something that can help us.”

 “Weird,” he sighs. “Well, let’s see what he’s got for us when it comes in, huh? Maybe we can go ghost hunting. That’d be so cool. That stuff about Tenjou Tech was interesting. Sounds like a good place to start.”


	4. Ghosts

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Spooky chapter today. I just quite like writing haunted houses to be perfectly honest. Although this one's a little less definitely haunted than Silver Water.

 Some of the best days are when Yuusei gets home from work to find Kiryuu already there and he decides to lie his head in his lap. Yuusei runs his fingers through his hair, content just to be together in comfortable silence. Crow is still at work, playing errand boy and delivering packages. Jack is who knows where. He does work, sometimes. They’re not entirely sure what he does, he usually fluffs the answer and never really gives any information.

 But it’s peaceful and quiet. The entire apartment is at peace. The pets are sleeping, Kiryuu is napping, and Yuusei’s fingers move through Kiryuu’s hair in an almost hypnotic rhythm. These are the days Yuusei loves. Not that he doesn’t love Jack and Crow, but they do get a little noisy sometimes. And that wound up Kiryuu in return, making him just as loud.

 It’s nice to have peace and quiet for once. The two of them just sitting here together, Yuusei could almost forget all their worries. As if they really are just having a quiet night in. No dead bodies, no drugs left over from human experimentation, no threat to their lives. Just the two of them together.  Safe, secure and serene.

 Crow seems to have become rather infatuated Nasch. Yuusei’s sure he’s been returning to the warehouse everyday after work for the past for days. Although, while Jack and Kiryuu like to tease Crow about his crush on Nasch, Yuusei is sure they know as well as he does that it’s the warehouse and what Nasch is doing there that Crow loves. He wants to look after those kids, just like he had in the Satellite.

 

 Suddenly, Beast’s head jerks up. Kiryuu opens one eye and Yuusei frowns. Red is puffed up and growling and Stardust scampers into Kiryuu’s lap. The door opens and the pair sit up straighter as Crow bursts in, dragging someone behind him. The door slams shut and Crow bolts it as he pushes his friend inside.

 “Crow?” Yuusei says quietly.

 Crow sighs and collapses into one of the chairs, dragging his friend over and shoving him to the couch. His hood falls back, revealing Nasch. Pale and splattered in blood. Looking at Crow, his hands are stained in blood, even his clothes.

 “What happened?” Kiryuu snaps.

 “I- I don’t-” Crow stares over at Nasch. “What was that?!”

 “That’s what happens to people who cross the Arclights,” Nasch whispers hoarsely. He leans his head back and closes his eyes. “I need to go before they figure out I’m here.”

 “Then the guy you tried to kill really was one of them.” Nasch nods a little and Yuusei frowns. Just what’s happened now? “The kids-”

 “They’re fine. I think. I got them out when I heard the chaos.”

 “What happened?” Kiryuu says.

 “I… I went to go see Nasch and the shelter,” Crow says quietly. “The entire place was just… covered in blood. Everyone was… Like they’d been hacked to pieces...”

 “Michael,” Nasch murmurs. “He uses this antique sword when he’s allowed to do things his own way.”

 “Wait, wait,” Kiryuu snaps. “You’re telling me they were all… They just went in and killed them all? The Arclights just murdered them all? Because of you?!”

 Nasch frowns a little. Crow had mentioned he thought Nasch had once been in relationship with one of the brothers. And that Nasch had attempted to kill his lover and himself. It doesn’t make much sense to Yuusei. But he knows people change. He knows Nasch seems like a good person. They can’t just let the Arclights kill him and everyone else. They’re already in enough trouble, after all.

 

 “Thanks for helping out back there,” Nasch says getting up and pulling up his hood. “I’ve got to get going before they realise I’m here. I don’t want to get you guys into more trouble. Here.” He jots down an address and hands it over. “They’re expecting you tonight. Don’t get yourselves killed. We might be able to help you if you can make same progress.”

 “Nasch-”

 “Sorry,” he says quietly. “For getting you guys involved in my mess.” He gets up and pauses at the door, smiling back at them before pulling up his hood. “If I were you guys, I consider seriously before carrying on down this path. Don’t fall in too deep.”

 He vanishes out the door and they’re left staring after him. Yuusei frowns and Kiryuu tilts his head, considering them all for a moment before nodding to himself.

 “We’re agreed, right?” Kiryuu says. “No one’s telling Jack about that.”

 “He’ll have a heart attack,” Crow agrees.

 “He’ll drag us back to Neo Domino for sure,” Yuusei sighs.

 “So, what do you think this is?” Kiryuu mutters, looking over the address. He hands it over to Yuusei, who frowns and glances it over. “See if you can look it up or something? A bit of research.”

 Yuusei nods and opens up his laptop on the coffee table. There’s no harm researching a little before they arrive there. Kiryuu leans against him and Yuusei smiles back for a moment before focusing. Crow is still looking shaken and pale. He’ll talk to them when he’s ready. There’s no point pushing him. Crow will talk when he’s ready. He always does. But it is concerning. That Nasch is so deep in trouble with the Arclights. And that they might end up there themselves.

 “It’s an old mansion,” Yuusei says, gazing back at the information. Crow and Kiryuu lean over his shoulders, gazing at the screen. Looks like a creepy old mansion falling into disrepair. “You said you guys were talking about supernatural stuff.”

 “It does look like the sort of place that would be haunted,” Kiryuu says.

 “Ghosts aren’t real,” Crow mutters. “Just creepy stories.”

 “Aren’t they?” he laughs. “Did you ever go to the old momentum? That place was full of them. You could hear them screaming as they died.”

 “Stop that,” Yuusei says. “This isn’t the time for your ghost stories.”

 “So, we wait for Jack and head there to see exactly what they want, huh?” Kiryuu laughs. They nod slightly. “Wonder what’s in there.”

 Kiryuu smiles and shoves Yuusei back to the couch, laying his head in his lap once more. Yuusei sighs, returning to stroking his hair leisurely. Crow glares at them for a moment before shaking his head and turning away to his room, shrugging off his jacket as he goes.

 

 It’s hours later when Jack returns. Crow is still in his room. They’re going to have to talk to him about how he’s feeling soon, if he doesn’t snap out of it himself. Of course, Yuusei understands it must be traumatising, but… they really need to think about surviving themselves right now. Would it really be so bad to get rid of the Chaos and stop getting involved deeper? Would it really be so bad to go back to Neo Domino? Or wander the world perhaps?

 “Has he been there all day?” Jack mutters in passing.

 “Most the afternoon.” He frowns and pokes Kiryuu’s shoulder. “Kiryuu, my legs are going numb.”

 “But you’re comfy,” Kiryuu yawns.

 “Nasch stopped by,” he says, turning to Jack, who pauses in the door to his room. “We’re going to an old mansion tonight.”

 “Are we?” Jack’s eyes narrow and Yuusei smiles. “Why?”

 “Not sure yet,” Kiryuu puts in. “Gonna go find out.”

 “Didn’t Crow say it was something to do with that spooky shit?”

 He laughs and shakes his head, flouncing off to change. Kiryuu returns to resting on Yuusei’s lap, weighing a ton somehow. But there’s no moving Kiryuu. Yuusei sighs and returns to petting his hair. All he really can do right now.

 

 That night the four of them, and Beast again, are standing outside the gates of the mansion. The sun has just set the and the entire mansion seems to have turned in a cold, forbidding monster. It looked a lot nice in the pictures on the internet.

 “In we go, huh?” Kiryuu mutters.

 They nod and they step forward slowly. Even Beast is sticking close to Kiryuu, glaring up at the mansion as they approach. Crow said they were talking about supernatural. Maybe the house is just creepy. What they can actually do here is another matter.

 Kiryuu knocks on the door, Yuusei glad it’s him who does it. There’s an awkward hushed silence fallen over them. It’s creepy. They can all feel it.

 The door opens and they step inside slowly. There doesn’t seem to be anyone there.

 “What a horror movie cliche,” Jack mutters, although his voice definitely trembles.

 “Remember there was that creepy house in the forest back home?” Crow whispers.

 “The one Rua and Ruka were lost in?” Yuusei replies. “The one with the ghost?”

 “It wasn’t a ghost.”

 “Then why bring it up?” Jack says.

 “You didn’t see it,” Yuusei hisses.

 “Hello?” Kiryuu calls. “Any ghosties here? Give us a sign.”

 “Don’t just yell that into a potentially haunted house,” Jack snaps.

 The door slams behind them and Beast growls, pressing close to Kiryuu. Maybe asking for a sign isn’t the best idea. There’s heavy silence. The air is still and dead around them. It definitely creepy. Maybe Beast has the right idea. Pressed close to Kiryuu seems like a safe place.

 

 Kiryuu wrinkles his nose, hand pressed over the tattoo on his arm. He’d never really explained what it was. He’d laughed and told them it marked him out as a guardian of the underworld. They’d just rolled their eyes. Kiryuu got in with some weird people in jail, obviously. Although, it did remind Yuusei a lot of the ones he, Jack and Crow have.

 “Umm, Nasch sent us,” Yuusei calls quietly. “He said we might be able to help.”

 “Let’s just leave,” Crow whispers.

 “I didn’t think you believed in ghosts,” Jack hisses.

 “Yeah, but I know a trap when I see it,” comes the hushed reply. “They’re going to ambush us and murder us. Just like all those homeless people Nasch was looking after.”

 A door creaks open and Kiryuu scowls. “So, we’ve really walked into a horror movie, huh? Well, who am I to say no to such a nicely laid trap?”

 “Really?” Yuusei says, following Kiryuu as Beast as they head into the next room. “If you agree it’s a trap why-”

 “Because I want to know why. Someone’s gone to all this effort, I want to know why. What they’re after.”

 

 They follow Kiryuu, more for not wanting to split up, or leave Beast. Animals are supposed to be rather good at detecting things they can’t, after all. They step into a dark room with a round table. Candles light up and Yuusei scowls as Kiryuu freezes. Beast growls.

 “No way,” Crow says, turning away. “Nasch or not, we’re not messing with that shit.”

 “What?” Yuusei says quietly.

 “It’s a spirit board,” Kiryuu mutters. Yuusei frowns. “You’re supposed to use it to talk to the dead.”

 “Messing with mafia shit is bad enough, I don’t need the supernatural stuff too,” Crow snaps.

 “Didn’t you say the mafia was supernatural?” Jack says.

 The pointer on the board moves and Kiryuu and Crow jerk back as it moves to _YES_. It’s certainly creepy. Kiryuu strides over and leans down, checking under the table before straightening up again. He steps back and circles the table with Beast. Nothing seems wrong. Nothing seems to be moving anything.

 “We messed with one of these inside,” Kiryuu mutters with a strange wildness in his eyes. “Three of the group killed themselves within a week.”

 “You got into some occult bullshit cult while you were in there, didn’t you?” Jack says.

 Kiryuu smiles sheepishly. “Lil’ bit.”

 “Kiryuu,” Yuusei snaps.

 “What? I was a messed up kid in a messed up place, I got into some shit. It’s not surprising. It started as something to keep me from getting into trouble and then, well, you know how it goes.”

 They glare at him silently for a moment and Kiryuu smiles back. At some stage they’re going to have to sit down and have a proper chat about just what he got up to in prison rather than him just springing new things on them every five minutes. They really have to talk about a lot of things.

 

 “So, we gonna do what it wants or what?” Jack says.

 “Really?” Crow snaps. “After what Kiryuu just said-”

 “Let’s see what they’re after,” Kiryuu says, taking a seat.

 “What?” he cries.

 “It’ll be alright,” he sighs. “You guys don’t believe in ghosts, right? And I can do it safely.”

 “Safely?!”

 “Come on, the soon we get to it, the sooner we know what they way from us.”

 Jack grumbles to himself but sits with Kiryuu at the table. After a few moments hesitation, Yuusei and Crow join them. Kiryuu places his hands on the pointer and after a pause, the others copy him. Yuusei’s fingers and trembling. He doesn’t really believe in ghosts and the supernatural, not really, but he does know there are things out there beyond their understanding.

 “The most important rule,” Kiryuu says quietly. “Always say goodbye. The theory is that you open up a portal through this board. If you leave it open, who knows what could come through. Don’t ask for proof, don’t try to piss it off, and don’t ask it to show itself.” He smiles a little and glances between them. “And always be a little bit skeptical of what it's telling you. Ok?”

 The watch Kiryuu silently for a moment before nodding. He is the expert in the supernatural stuff, after all. Kiryuu smiles back and closes his eyes. Of course, Yuusei knows in his mind why the board works. None of them can tell who’s moving it because it’s four of them, and it’s something subconscious, when he starts moving, they keep it moving. It’s all in their mind. And when it moved on its own, it was probably magnets or similar. Even so, when the board spells out _H-E-L-L-O_ , it is creepy.

 

 “Do you know why we were called here, spirit?” Kiryuu says. “Can you tell us why we’re here?”

 The pointer moves under their fingers and Crow looks like he’s about to faint. Yuusei doesn’t blame him. _S-T-O-L-E-N C-H-A-O-S_. Crow’s hands jerk away and he staggers up to his feet.

 “Hey, we only wanna find out who tried to set us up!” he yells into the darkness. “Someone tried to get us killed! We woke up with that shit locked to us and a dead guy-”

 The pointed moves again. Kiryuu moves his hands away and Yuusei and Jack do the same. The pointer continues to move. _H-E-L-L-O_.

 Yuusei frowns. “Hello?”

 Again?

 

 “Hi.”

 

 They all jump, staring at the once empty chair that now has a figure sitting in it. And as the candles stop flickering, the figure becomes recognisable. Not a spirit. Hopefully. But a very real young man.

 “So you are undead, huh Red?” Kiryuu says quietly.

 Thomas smiles back. “I’m certainly lacking in the mortality realm, Blue.”

 “Don’t flirt with a ghost,” Crow hisses.

 “Trust me, Crow,” Kiryuu says, gaze never leaving Thomas’. “When I’m flirting, you’ll know about it. Sit down. It’s just Tom. He’s not going to hurt us, right?”

 “I have no intentions of doing so right now, no,” Thomas replies.

 Crow sits down slowly and Yuusei glances around, trying to spot some sort of solid vision projector or  trap door or some explanation for how Thomas had simply appeared. But there’s nothing. Whatever trick it is, it’s perfectly disguised.

 “You’re dead?” Crow whispers, staring at Thomas.

 “I’ve died,” Thomas replies. Yuusei frowns. Thomas isn’t agreeing. He’s not quite confirming what they’re asking but he’s saying it in a way that make it seem like he is. “What do you want?”

 “How?” Crow says as Kiryuu opens his mouth. Thomas tilts his head lazily, glancing over at Crow. “How did you die?”

 “Mm, there are so many stories,” Kiryuu says with a lazy smirk. “Which was the one that really did it?”

 Thomas smirks back. “Who knows? If I’m honest, I don’t remember too far back. I’m losing time constantly. I think it’s a side effect. It makes it hard to store memories. It’s always been like that, since I was young. I have rely on things like photo albums to remember.”

 “Are we really believing all this?” Jack snaps.

 “Back to what you wanted? Why you felt the need to talk to me like this?”

 “The Chaos, right? Why did we end up like that?” Yuusei says quietly.

 “And why did you guys slaughter all those people today?” Crow snaps.

 

 Thomas sighs, leaning his chin on his palm like he’s bored. Perhaps he could be a little more interested given this entire dramatic set up. Someone has gone through a lot of effort to make this dramatic, after all. Yuusei frowns and Thomas finally speaks up.

 “It’s all connected, you know?” he says, sounding as bored as he looks. “Someone’s transporting Chaos around. Not only that, but someone’s using the city’s homeless and helpless as test subjects for a new project.”

 “Project Numbers?” Yuusei says quietly. Thomas shakes his head. “Then what?”

 “Couldn’t say. But, I also know that half the slaughter is a crackdown on those who don’t want to be associated with a more regulated way of doing things. Long overdue. If they weren’t already dead, I would have made sure the fuckers who hurt my shark suffered. No one gets away with the shit those gangs have been pulling recently.”

 “Really?” Kiryuu laughs. “This is all about your cute little boyfriend?”

 “My boyfriend is far from cute,” he laughs. “Although little definitely.” He holds up his hand about his eyeline and Kiryuu laughs. Yuusei is starting to wonder if these two are having a conversation entirely different from the rest of them. “But he’s as annoyed by what happened as I am. Oh, and apparently, I got shot. They’re not fond of that either.”

 “Getting shot doesn’t seem to affect you much,” he says. “But it makes it real easy to do some real fucked up stuff in bed.”

 Thomas’ face goes bright red and he turns away with something very close to a pout. After a moment, he turns back with a smile. As if they hadn’t just been casually discussing his sex life. Kiryuu might actually have found someone who understood him perfectly.

 “Is that it? Can I go now?” Thomas narrows his eyes slightly. “I’m a busy guy. And get out of my house.”

 “Your house?” Yuusei says.

 “One more thing,” Kiryuu says. Thomas sighs and slumps. “Try again with why we ended up in that mess?”

 “Have you heard of Yliaster?”

 “That was the secret society Godwin was involved with,” Jack mutters.

 “The other Godwin too,” Kiryuu mutters.

 “What other Godwin?” Yuusei says.

 “Later,” Crow snaps. “Let’s get the information and talk about what it means away from the creepy stuff.”

 “Secret society, yeah,” Thomas says. “They gotta get passed us if they want a proper foothold in Heartland City, but… imagine the damage they could do with just a few well planted rouge packs of Chaos or a few decent Numbers? That’s all I’m giving you.”

 “Fine,” Kiryuu laughs, grabbing the pointer and moving it across the board towards _GOODBYE_. “You can fuck off now.”

 Thomas laughs and blows a kiss. The candles flicker out. When the room is lit again seconds later, the chair he’d been in is empty once more. Crow is white as a sheet and Yuusei is slightly shaken no matter how he tries to ignore it. He gets up slowly, checking the room for traps once more. There really is nothing. Could Thomas really have been a spirit?

 Jack stands suddenly and Kiryuu follows with Beast, dragging Crow along, towards the door with a mutter about being sick of people stringing them along. Yuusei follows. He’s had enough of this sort of thing too. Yliaster and Chaos and Project Numbers and the Arclights? It’s all connected somehow. How is the question.

 

* * *

 

 “Are you quite done scaring people?” Kaito mutters.

 Thomas narrows his eyes at the doors. The pair and leaning on the gallery railings above the entrance hall. Kaito’s fingers brush Thomas’ and his head jerks around, staring at Kaito for a moment.

 “You back with the world of the living?” Thomas nods. “It was a nice trick.”

 “Trick? I’m hardly alive, am I?” He laughs bitterly, glaring away at nothing. “Not even human.”

 “Idiot,” Kaito laughs, elbowing his side lightly. Thomas glares back and but Kaito ignores him. “Nasch sent them, huh?”

 Thomas turns away, stalking down the hall and Kaito follows with a sigh. “I’ve had enough of Nasch’s ghosts for this life and the next.”


	5. Quickdraw

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Bar fight time! Slightly more violent thn normal, but not overly so. And some of those Arc V guys turn up again.

 “You’ve been distracted all day, Yuusei,” Christopher says softly, leaning against the console next to Yuusei. He sits up straighter and Christopher smiles down at him. “Something the matter?”

 “Thing are complicated,” Yuusei replies. “As I’m sue you’re aware.”

 “Well, it’s only my goodwill towards you and your friends that has allowed you to live this long,” he says with a small smile. “If I didn’t want your lives to continue, you wouldn’t have walked out of our family home.”

 “And what exactly have we done to earn this goodwill, Christopher?” Yuusei says.

 “That would be you, Yuusei,” Christopher replies. “While I have no interest in your friends, Kiryuu does seem to keep Thomas amused. They seem to understand each other. The attitudes are fine, they work hard, but it’s you who’s of interest and useful. You’re the one who I consider useful and unique enough to be worth my time.”

 “How kind of you,” he says, voice flat and cold.

 “I’m glad you understand.” He stands on flicks his hair over his shoulder once more before turning and sweeping away. “You should take the afternoon off, I’m sure you’ve got a lot to be doing. I can’t let you and your friends get away with stealing from me for long, can I?”

 Yuusei glares after him for a moment as he sweeps away. Christopher is interesting. He’s obviously intelligent, perhaps on the same level as Yuusei himself. When he choses to work beside Yuusei, his input is invaluable and his work ethic was second to none. So why he choses to dedicate himself to a life of crime is beyond him. Shouldn’t it make more sense for him to actually have a legitimate job? Why a man of his obvious intellect would be in this business is something Yuusei really can’t make sense of.

 

 The four of them somehow end up at Tron. Apparently they don’t know any other places to hang out during the afternoon. They have hot drinks and crepes - which really are rather amazing, especially when it’s taken into account that they’re created by a teenage crime lord.

 “Weird of us all to get the day off,” Kiryuu mutters. Yuusei nods. He tries not to think too much into it. Overthinking is Kiryuu’s realm. He knows it’s suspicious. But he’d rather not be afraid right now. “Maybe lady luck is smiling on us.”

 They all glare at him and Kiryuu laughs, waving his hands as he smiles back. Why does Kiryuu have nothing between blind optimism and laughter and overthinking, megalomania and conspiracy theories? There really is no one like Kiryuu, is there? They wouldn’t change him for the world.

 “You were going to tell us the rest of your prison adventures,” Jack says. Yuusei glances up and Kiryuu smiles weakly. “What’s about a cult?”

 “Ahh, well,” Kiryuu laughs sheepishly. “Things happen, you know? Prison’s a funny place. You join a cult, get tattoos, get in a relationship with a guard. All those kinda things.”

 “All of that was so concerning,” Crow mutters.

 Kiryuu rolls his eyes and Yuusei nudges his side gently. Of course Kiryuu is reluctant. It’s been a while, but they’ve never really talked about it much. Kiryuu was put away, the visited him a lot, he was always doing pretty well. He recovered. They hadn’t really considered what had gone on inside. Kiryuu was recovering and doing well. They didn’t need to know much else. Apparently now, they do need to talk about it.

 “You said something about another Godwin?” Jack says.

 Kiryuu nods. “His name was Rudger Godwin, the Director’s older brother. He was the prison doctor.”

 “Godwin never mentioned a brother,” he grumbles.

 “Yeah because he told his fake son everything,” Kiryuu replies. “But yeah, he was talking to me one day, introduced me to this whole thing about Dark Signers.”

 “Dark Signers?” Yuusei repeats, hand going absently to his arm. Someone had once said the tattoo the group shared marked them out as something called Signers. Kiryuu nods a little. “Go on.”

 “Yeah,” he says softly. “Well, these Dark Signers were supposed to be the guardians of the underworld. People who guarded the gates of Hell.”

 “Damn it, Kiryuu, how insane are you?” Jack snaps.

 “Hey, I wasn’t well at the time,” he argues, eyes narrowed. Yuusei understands. Kiryuu had been a mess when he was locked up. His desire for belonging and people around him could easily drive him into dumb situations, they’d seen that at the time. “It kinda made sense. They were people who wanted to give me somewhere to belong. He said things that resonated. That made sense.”

 “Yeah, because the gates of hell makes so much sense.”

 “Jack,” Yuusei sighs. “We’re all aware Kiryuu wasn’t thinking clearly back then.”

 “Yeah, you thought murder was a viable solution to our problems,” Crow says.

 “Alright, alright,” Kiryuu snaps, face going a touch pink. “So, I made some mistakes. Stop judging me.” He sighs and shakes his head. “He told me it was alright to be angry. To think the way I did.” His fingers trace the shape of the tattoo under his sleeve. “That I would get all I wanted, I would get my revenge-”

 “Revenge?” Yuusei says. “On who?”

 “Security, the city, you guys, the world in general.”

 “What did we do?” Crow snaps.

 “You’re a maniac,” Jack grumbles, leaning back in his chair.

 “Look, anyway, he just… made sense,” Kiryuu continues. “He appealed to the way I was thinking at the time. He made me think that I wasn’t wrong, that I wasn’t falling apart, that it was everyone else who was wrong. Looking back now, it’s all crazy, but at the time, it all made sense. I wasn’t crazy, the world was.”

 He sighs and closes his eyes. Yuusei smiles gently and pats his shoulder. Kiryuu really was in a messed up place back then. If they had been city kids, someone would have noticed Kiryuu’s illness and could have helped him before he fell apart. Maybe they should have paid more attention too. They all saw Kiryuu was hurting. They all knew there was something wrong. His behaviour changed, he wasn’t their Kiryuu anymore. They had ignored it. They’d walked away. Perhaps it’s just as much their fault.

 “But, what he also explained was that beyond that, there was Yliaster,” Kiryuu continues after a moment. “They were the people in the shadows who controlled all of society. They had unleashed the Dark Signers, they had selected us. Chosen who we were, people who could change the world, and unlock the underworld, allow the King of the Underworld to walk on earth once more.”

 “That makes no sense,” Jack mutters.

 “I _know_ ,” he snaps. “I’m just telling you what they told me.”

 He sighs and sips his drink slowly. Yuusei smiles and nudges his side. Kiryuu doesn’t have to talk about it if he doesn’t want to. He smiles back at Yuusei and leans in to rest against him. Yuusei’s always glad when Kiryuu gives him a moment and rests with him. The void that had opened up when Kiryuu was arrested, it left Yuusei cold and numb inside for so long. He never wanted to lose that sunny warmth he felt at Kiryuu’s side ever again. Apparently those years had been just as dark for Kiryuu too.

 

 “Anyone else think it’s weird that Thomas is up there at the bar after we saw him in that house?” Crow says. Kiryuu and Yuusei tilts their heads, gazing over at Thomas behind the bar, chatting away with Ryouga and the maid girl Yuusei has yet to get the name of despite her constantly serving them. “I mean, is he actually dead or what? He’s just trying to screw with us or something?”

 “Has anyone ever actually seen him anywhere other than here?” Kiryuu says.

 “He was at our flat,” Jack mutters.

 “Oh yeah.”

 “Not haunting here then,” Kiryuu sighs. “What a shame.”

 “Shame?” they say together.

 Kiryuu laughs. “Wouldn’t it be cool to see an actual ghost?”

 “ _Kiryuu._ ”

 “Ow!” He jolts and narrows his eyes furiously at Jack across the table. Yuusei rolls his eyes and Crow laughs behind his hand. “Jack-”

 “You deserved it.”

 “Anyone else think it’s kinda empty in here too?” Crow says, looking around. “Usually there’s loads of school girls in at this time of day.”

 They frown and look around slowly. Crow’s right. Tron is surprisingly quiet today. In fact, people seem to be leaving. Thomas is watching one table warily and seems to be keeping the maid girl close.

 “I think maybe we should leave too,” Yuusei says quietly.

 “Yeah, I’m starting to get a bad feeling,” Crow agrees.

 

 Thomas opens up a gap in the floor and pulls up a metal plate around the bar as Ryouga pulls a shutter down over the drinks shelves behind them as the maid fusses. There are only a few tables left. The maid girl’s boyfriend sits in the middle of the room, legs up on the table casually, as if he doesn’t feel the atmosphere. Vector - a regular to the bar they’ve met a few times who constantly flirts with Ryouga and drives him to distraction - is at the bar, drinking something neon and ignoring the fuss around him. And a pair in the corner; a redhead and a hunter in a dark coat.

 Then the group around a larger table that Thomas is eyeing warily. Obviously the cause of whatever tension is going on.

 Kiryuu is looking way too eager to get into a mess. Yuusei grabs his arm to hold him still. He doesn’t need Kiryuu - or Jack for that matter, because he’s just as bad - getting into a fight. Kiryuu glances at him and smiles a little. It’s not reassuring, if Yuusei is honest.

 Crow scowls. “We should definitely go-”

 Yuusei nods and goes to stand but Kiryuu drags him down again with a shake of his head. “Stay down.”

 Yuusei nods. Kiryuu’s absolute certainty doesn’t leave doubt. When he’s like this, Yuusei has no fear putting all his faith in Kiryuu’s orders. Something blazing in his eyes and the firm line of his mouth, it makes Yuusei remember exactly why he was once their fearless leader.

 The large group stands and Thomas pushes the maid into Ryouga’s arms, the pair heading behind the bar.

 “Again?” the maid whines. “You’d better not enjoy this Yuu-”

 “Shut up and stay down,” Ryouga snaps.

 

 “You’re disrupting my customers,” Thomas says, striding across the floor. “I hope you’re doing to compensate me adequately for the loss of revenue.”

 “We’ve made your boss enough offers,” the leader snaps, stepping around the table. “More than generous offers.”

 “Then take that up with V,” he replies.

 “Well, it seems he doesn’t think we’re serious,” he sneers, pressing the barrel of a gun to Thomas’ forehead. “We’ll just have to find a new way to persuade him.”

 “We need to find a new bar to hang out at,” Crow hisses.

 “One with less guns,” Jack says with a nod.

 “So, we’ll be taking you along with us, and you can ask your boss to play nice,” the thug says.

 “Is that so?” Thomas laughs.

 He jerks back and there’s a shot fired. Yuusei’s sure he sees blood but there’s no time to consider that as all hell breaks loose.

 

 Kiryuu yanks Yuusei beneath the table and Jack and Crow are smart enough to follow. Yuusei notices Ryouga and the maid have disappeared out of sight behind the bar, he catches Vector vaulting the bar and vanishing from sight and they’re not the only ones under the tables.

 The maid’s boyfriend is unwrapping what looks like a whip from under his sleeve. Apparently everyone who frequents this bar is armed to the teeth.

 “What are you all waiting for?!” the leader of the thugs yells. “Kill him! Show that boss of his we’re not to be messed with!”

 “Sounds like a fun fight,” giggles a voice out of their vision.

 “No,” replies another. “Stay put.”

 “Aww. You’re no fun.”

 “Dennis!”

 Feels a lot like the mental conversation Yuusei is currently having with Kiryuu. There’s not discussion aloud but Kiryuu is gazing back at him with obvious intent. He shakes his head and Kiryuu pouts as chaos and bullets tear across the bar, drowning out any actual conversation they could be having anyway.

 The maid’s boyfriend suddenly runs out from his shelter and the whip cracks through the air. One of the thugs falls to ground next to their table, throwing knives buried in his chest. A second later the redhead who’d been sitting in the corner pops into view, snatching them from the body at a dead run and bouncing out of sight as the whips cracks again.

 “Yuuri, watch it!”

 “Ah, Dennis, you’re not a very good mutt. You don’t even sit on command.”

 “You’re worse than Professor Sanders.”

 Yuuri laughs. “All glory on the Academia.”

 “You’re military academy is starting to sound more like a cult,” calls the hunter just out of sight.

 “Cults are all the rage these days,” Kiryuu laughs.

 “Kiryuu, what are you doing?” Jack snaps as Kiryuu grabs the gun from the fallen thug.

 “Kiryuu,” Crow and Yuusei call, but it’s too late.

 Kiryuu has burst out from under the table and into the middle of a criminal bar fight. Idiot. Yuusei loves him but he really is an idiot beyond belief!

 

“Yuusei,” Crow snaps.

 Yuusei turns, they’re glaring at him. Jack scowls. “Control your boyfriend.”

 “Why is he suddenly _my_ boyfriend the second he’s doing something stupid?” Yuusei argues.

 “Because he _is_ your boyfriend,” Jack says.

 “Since when? He’s in your bed most often.”

 “Only out of geographically convenience.”

 “Big words for you, Jack,” Crow laughs.

 “It means, because we share a room,” Jack sneers.

 “I know what it means!”

 Are they actually squabbling in the middle of a gun fight that Kiryuu has run out into? Their childhood really has messed them up beyond belief, hasn’t it? It’s almost funny. Arguing over boyfriends and teasing while they’re in this sort of situation?

 There’s a thud on the table above them and Kiryuu’s wild laughter. He’s still alive then. “I can hear you guys, you know.”

 How, over all this gunfire?

 The three of them peak out around the tables. Kiryuu is there, with a much larger gun than he’d left with. He seems to be enjoying himself. They really need to sit down and have a discussion about his recovery, don’t they? That he’s still grinning and laughing like a maniac is not really an encouraging sign. No one wants to go back down that path again. No one wants to lose him again.

 

 The redhead with the knives - Dennis? - and the maid’s boyfriend - Yuuri? - are back to back, looking just as lost in the thrill of the fight as Kiryuu, stepping around each other with practiced ease. There are a few shots from the corner, and the hunter is firing from the cover of one of the tables, getting rid of a few mooks.

 But Thomas is what holds Yuusei’s attention. Christopher’s little brother. He’s in hunting mode, letting him see everything in a way they can’t imagine. He has two pistols, wielding them as though it’s a simple matter. Yuusei remembers enough about guns from the Satellite to know most often, people trying to fire two guns at once are usually trying to show off and can’t handle the multitasking to aim well enough. Doesn’t seem to be a problem for Thomas. Truly supernatural or not, Yuusei understands why people like Kiryuu and Thomas get the reputation they do as demons and monsters.

 There’s wild laughter and Vector leaps over the bar. There’s another hail of bullets and they duck beneath the table again.

 “Why is every redhead is this city nuts?” Crow hisses. Jack and Yuusei glance at him and Crow frowns. “What are you looking at me for?!”

 

 Silence falls and they glance out again. There are bodies all over the floor and Vector and Thomas’ guns at each other’s heads. There’s an absolute silence over the bar even as Ryouga and the maid straighten up.

 “I owe you a bullet, I think,” Thomas says, voice scarily calm.

 “What part of our previous meetings make you think this time will be any different?” Vector replies.

 “Enough.” Kiryuu slaps their hands away and smacks their heads together. Both redheads groan and Kiryuu narrows his eyes. “Now isn’t the time for shooting each other.”

 “He’s right,” Ryouga calls, opening up the shutter over the drinks. He picks out glasses and sets them on the covered bar before grabbing a bottle. “Shots. On the house.”

 “Can’t argue with that,” Kiryuu laughs.

 “Not you,” Thomas says firmly pushing the maid away.

 “Why not?” she snaps.

 Before Thomas can reply, there’s movement and Yuusei swings around just in time to see Jack’s fist slamming into the face of one of the thugs. Kiryuu smirks only for Jack to smack him on the head too. The resulting pout is almost adorable.

 “Whoa!” They turn slightly. The bouncer is in the door staring. “What happened?!”

 “You!” Thomas snaps. The bouncer stiffens. “You’re late!”


End file.
